Loose Ends
by BlackLabelDomm
Summary: With the Locust finally gone, there's only one thing left to do: unite the people of Sera.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello_

_I've been meaning to write a bit of fanfiction for Gears of War, especially for the stuff that happens after Gears of War 3. Epic games did a great job wrapping up the trilogy but left enough room to let your imagination run wild, so I said: what the hell might as well give it a shot. This is my first attempt at any fanfiction honestly so I'm just going to post this here as a kind of test run. I have written nothing more in regards to this story but I'll still leave it open for now. Reviews mean a lot and are extremely appreciated. Also, I am not completely versed in the GoW universe. I haven't read any of the books but I've spent some time reading up on the wiki and played the games, obviously. I'll try to keep the characters and world as true to the established fiction as possible but I'll probably slip up here and there so feel free to correct me._

_Disclaimer: Epic games owns everything related to Gears of War._

**Chapter 1:**

The blue glow of the screen was the only indication that anyone was still around in the huge underground facility located on Azura. The massive room was located several stories below ground level and housed a multitude of Azura's controls. Anything from light sources to the railway system was operated from within this area. Corporal Damon Baird was assigned to oversee these functions, but before he could do anything he had to override a lot of the systems and repair some others.

Nobody explicitly ordered Baird to get to work; the Coalition of Ordered Governments was no longer but the soldiers of Delta squad still felt like it was their mission to craft a future. Unfortunately the Gears were not sure how to address this newest situation; rebuilding a society that has reverted -through decades of war- back to the Bronze Age. A society where only hardened veterans and a few stranded remained. These people were not intellectuals or scholars; they were simply men and women who fought for survival for the better part of the last two decades. What society could they possibly build? And what made them believe they would not repeat the mistakes of the past.

These were all questions Baird put on the backburner as he was busy uncovering the secrets of Azura, a beacon of hope in a sea of shit. The island was the only remaining fragment of civilization in a world where basic necessities were practically inexistent. As the smartest man left alive (as he would eloquently put it) Baird felt it was his duty to find out exactly what Prescott was hiding here. After a few days of adjustment, all of the Gears found their roles and began to work on improving the situation, each contributing with whatever skills they had.

Baird would spend day and night in the basement, working until the early hours of the morning before getting a few hours of sleep. Sometimes he would take a break from the control room to do guard duty which he secretly appreciated if only because of a certain Kashkuri woman. His shift included patrolling around the island at night but he would often just spend the night sitting at the beach with whoever else was assigned that night, chatting about everything and nothing or just taking a well deserved sleep. Baird wasn't exactly comfortable with literally sleeping on the job but the monotony of the patrols often made one sleepy, especially so late at night. He would only go on patrol with Sam on every other shift, and he enjoyed the time they spent together even if he would never acknowledge it.

Tonight was not one of those nights, tonight he stayed in the control room working. It was a small room within the larger facility but it was the very heart of the facility, its walls were adorned with monitors that shone a bright blue light and gave Baird all the information he needed regarding the secret research facility. He worked until his eyes hurt and decided to call it in for the night. As he switched off the last of the monitors and the room was enveloped in darkness, Baird noticed a very dim light escaping from the other end of the facility. He was sure he was alone down there and none of the electric components emitting small light signatures were situated in that particular area. Hesitantly he made his way towards the white light.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hello again,_

_So I decided to write a second chapter to this story and have an overall story arc in my head right now. I went into this with the intent of making an easy to read story but feel like I'm missing out on way to many details and ideas when I limit myself. These chapters are short right now but if the feedback is good I'll begin to write longer stuff with more details and whatnot. Also I'm not sure why I rated this story M, I guess there are allusions to naked ladies in here but nothing really rated M. Maybe later in the story I'll see if I can use the rating for good. Again, feedback is immensly appreciated, even stuff like spelling mistakes and grammar. ( When I write civilian clothing for Sam I mean the "civilian Anya" multiplayer skin in Gears of War3, just imagine that.)_

**Chapter 2:**

"So what exactly is the plan now baby?" Cole yelled over the sound of Gears having a good time drinking at the bar.

"I'm still working on that Gus; right now getting the last of the stranded on our side is the biggest issue..." Sgt. Fenix told the former thrashball star.

Marcus knew that in order to rebuild everybody had to be on the same side, there was no other way around it. Diplomacy is what the sergeant was aiming for in dealing with the stranded, he knew too well how violence begets more violence. Many of them had already decided to put the past behind them and were cooperating with the remnants of the COG but a few were still harbouring resentment. People like Char's very own Aaron Griffin and his crew of stranded weren't simply going to forgive and forget because Delta squad killed all the grubs. Killing your own people in a time of crisis was inexcusable and Marcus knew the he would have to pay the price for Prescott's, his father's- and everyone else in charge of the Hammer of Dawn program- mistakes. This was the last problem Delta had to deal with, besides rebuilding Sera that is.

_How exactly am I supposed to be taken seriously in a diplomatic role?_

Marcus was interrupted from his thoughts by Clayton shoving a shot of hard liquor in his face; the oldest of the Carmines petitioning the sergeant to take a drink. This was the life for the gears on Azura for now, drinking at the bar late every night, having a good time and releasing stress. But eventually the real work would have to start and the thought loomed over all of the soldiers, especially Marcus.

"Anyone seen Baird around?" Cole asked the other gears at the bar.

Anya sat at the desk, the dim light of an old lamp shinning on the papers she was working on. Once clean of all the blood the Hotel on Azura was a very nice place to live. Anya set up a small office in her room where she did most of her work. Like many of the other gears she would stay up late at night but was too preoccupied to spend her time drinking. The arrival of the UIR on Azura meant people needed to be managed and given roles. The UIR still had a few engineers and doctors to help out and Anya had to plan out their duties. She had planned out missions as a Lieutenant before but this was different. Running an entire island, especially one as unique as Azura was no easy task. Hoffman expected Delta to take care of business on the island with the same care and expertise they showed on the battlefield. Marcus was a great leader and knew how to rally up people but when it came to paperwork he could not be any further from his element. He was seen as a sort of de facto leader; having earned the respect of people the likes of Miran Trescu and Victor Hoffman but Anya was always in the background helping, doing the hard work. Not that she minded, she was in her element strategizing the rebuilding efforts. She would be there for Marcus whatever it took and knew that behind his brave face Marcus Fenix was a broken man: a man who had lost both his best friends and his father, twice. She knew deep down he loved her but always wondered why he was so afraid of showing it; perhaps loosing the people you love so often made you distant towards others. Now that the war was over would Marcus change his outlook on life and love? These were the sort of questions Anya contemplated over when she was around the man.

"It is way too late to think about this right now..." Anya sighed as she got up and turned off the lamp in her small office. As she made her way into the living room of her and Marcus' suite she contemplated weather to go down to the bar or call it in for the night.

As Sam exited the shower she was almost immediately hit with the cold temperature of her room. She had left her towel outside the bathroom and had to quickly dart to her bed to grab it. The floor she resided on was not receiving any heat because of a broken heater. She cursed Baird for not having fixed it yet but knew he had a lot on his plate. At least he had managed to get the hot water running and that was more than she could ask for. After showering in cold water- or not showering entirely for days- while on the battlefield, this felt like a blessing from the gods.

Sam had a particularly rough day. She was sent out to scout the island with the mission to find any land that could be used for crops; a task that reminded her too greatly of Dominic Santiago and his late-life obsession with growing things. She missed him, they all did, but she knew he was in a better place now. She had long ago realised that she could never be in his heart like Maria and had moved on. Her memories of him were now more about him being an amazing friend and a caring soul rather than a man she was falling for. Besides, there was another man perhaps even more complicated she was developing romantic feelings for. As she dried her naked tan skin she wondered why she always got into these complex situations.

She put on her civilian clothes which consisted of a simple tank top, pants, and a freshly washed green bandana. Her exposed arms showed off the elaborate tattoos native to her mother's people. As she looked them over in the mirror she began to think up of new tattoo designs she could give her fellow gears.

_Maybe some sort of victory emblem? A cougar for Cole? A silly red heart with Anya written on it for Marcus? _

She finally decided to mull over her favourite hobby another time and headed down to the bar to meet up with the rest of delta squad.


	3. Chapter 3

_****Okay so it's very late but I decided to put up this chapter before I got real busy and would miss out on posting this for a while. And before you ask yes this is going somewhere, I'm just writing some set up for our characters post Gears of War 3. Enjoy and feel free to review, they are much appreciated. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 3:**

Baird grabbed a small flashlight from his utility belt as he made his way to the corner of the underground facility. A dim white light had grabbed his attention and his natural curiosity pushed him towards it. As he got closer, the light began to form into a shape, he realised it was a small slit where the light was escaping, as if a crack had formed in the wall. As he pressed his hand against it and felt it's shaped he deduced it was some sort of door with light shining on the other side. Baird pushed but to no avail, he then decided to simply kick it down with his massive boots. As the hidden door swung open it released an abrasive cloud of dust which got into Baird's eyes and nose; he cursed himself for not lowering his prized goggles from his forehead. On the other side he found a small, illuminated room, maybe 25 square feet with a small terminal on the wall, nothing more. With a perplexed look on his face he approached the glowing screen.

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" All of the gears from delta squad chanted as Jace Stratton downed the special brew Dizzy had prepared for them.

The moonshine tasted like paint thinner with just a hint of coconut; it was disgusting to drink but it was extremely effective at getting one wasted. Jace could feel his throat burning and his head buzzing as he downed the drink. As long as he didn't throw it back up, he was good for another round of their stupid drinking game. It was Cole's turn to drink but the big man decided to throw in the towel, fearing he would ruin his brand new attire by puking on it. It was down to Carmine, Jace and Sam to see who was tonight's champion. Marcus had already left for the night and only a few gears and indies remained in the bar so late.

"Seriously guys, where the hell is Baird tonight?" Cole said with a slight slur in his speech.

"He probably pussied out like the sheltered princess that he is" Sam pitched in before downing her drink.

For a woman her size Samantha could take a drink better than most men in the army. Taking verbal jabs at Baird was amongst her favourite pastimes but it wasn't as fun without him around. She decided to see what he was up to as soon as their little drinking game was over. Carmine took the glass of reserve Jace poured him and as soon as he took a whiff of the stuff he ran for the bathroom.

"Another one down" Jace proclaimed as he took the glass for himself.

At this point he could feel him the numbing in his extremities and seriously contemplated if taking another shot was wise. He looked towards the bathroom door, then at a seriously drunk Cole Train, and then at a Sam who looked like she only had begun drinking a minute ago. He decided this wasn't his night and conceded the victory to the female gear.

"Well I'd better get Clay back to his room" Jace said as he got up towards the bathroom.

The eldest of the Carmines had passed out, head still on the toilet seat and the contents of his stomach simultaneously on the floor and in the toilet. Jace sometimes worried about his friend but knew that choking on his own vomit wasn't going to kill him. After all this was the man who in the last two months had survived a collapsing bridge, a sniper shot to the head and a Raven crash without so much as a scratch. Jace picked him up by the shoulders and dragged him off after waving goodbye to his fellow gears.

The self proclaimed genius had no idea where to start. From the outside the terminal looked like any other plain old security terminal but had zero indications as to what it was protecting. There was a single screen asking for a password and a small keyboard below it. Baird tried the usual "_password_", "_123456789_" and "_secret_" inputs but none worked. Baird was an engineer, not a programmer but he knew damn well that everything could be hacked. Baird was going to find out exactly what this terminal gave access to come hell or high water. He then wondered if he should tell anyone else about his discovery, what if the terminal was protecting something worse than the locust. Who knows exactly what Prescott was hiding on Azura? What if he had accidentally stumbled on to the Island's self destruct terminal? Baird's cynical side kicked in and for a second he hesitated to push anymore keys. He was brought out of his thoughts by a loud bang coming from the other end of the underground facility. He remembered that a Gorasni technician was to replace him overnight and quickly exited the room to meet up with the new arrival. The young man, a former submarine technician named Stanik, was trained by Baird to oversee Azura's main functions. He wasn't the best around but at least he was no dirty stranded. He also kept quiet and did his job and that's pretty much everything Baird wanted from him. To his surprise Baird met up with an obviously drunk private Byrne instead of a UIR submariner. At this point the alcohol had seeped into Sam's system and did a number on her sense of direction.

"Why is it so bloody dark down here?" bellowed the drunken gear as she stumbled around.

"What the hell are you doing here Byrne?" Baird growled at her.

"Why didn't you come drink with us you little squirm?" Sam asked before she tripped over some wires.

Baird quickly leaped forward to catch her and saved her from splitting her head open. It was late and Baird wasn't ready to deal with this shit right now. They had gotten drunk together before and had a great time but tonight wasn't one of those times. Frustrated and tired, Baird grabbed the woman and slung her over his shoulder before making his way towards the elevator. She kicked him a couple of times before giving up and just letting the corporal take her back to her room. Baird wasn't sure why she came down here to see him. Yes she had been much nicer to him recently and he remembered the events on the day they defeated the locust but for her to come see _him_, especially so late at night...he knew something was on her mind.

As he exited the elevator he crossed Stanik who gave him a knowing look. Baird felt insulted by the man's assumption that he took advantage of the drunken woman. Not that the COG was known for its excellent treatment of women but to assume Baird brought a drunken woman into his work quarters just to fornicate was an insult to his intelligence.

"It's not what it looks like...get to work and make sure nothing breaks or overheats tonight!" Baird growled at the Indie.

Back in her room, Baird put the female gear down on her bead before grabbing a glass of water from the bathroom sink. From the other room he could hear Sam ask him if they were going to have some fun tonight. The thought of sleeping with Sam had crossed his mind many times before but he knew damn well that doing it tonight would mean nothing for either of them. From his experiences drunken fucks never lead to anything but STDs and awkward silence during long helicopter rides. If they really had a tomorrow Baird was going to take the opportunity to build an actual relationship with her. He handed her the glass of water and looked at the tattoos on her arms. She really was a beautiful specimen, if only she wasn't so feisty. Oh who was he kidding? That was his favourite thing about her.

"You just gonna sit there and stare Damon?" Sam asked as she winked at the corporal.

"Go to sleep you crazy vixen" Baird replied.

"Fuck you Damon" She whispered as sleep overcame her.

"Maybe tomorrow" Baird replied with a smirk.

Baird lay in bed, with thoughts of Sam and the hidden terminal keeping him from sleeping. He never expected the news Marcus was to deliver him the next day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

STRANDED CAMP, TEN MILES OFF THE SERROGAR COASTLINE, SEVEN DAYS AFTER LOCUST DEFEAT.

Marcus Fenix was a legend. On the battlefield he had proved himself countless times; from his daring assault at Aspho fields to storming the Hollow, Marcus was not one to lose a fight. Unfortunately his status could mean less to the stranded he now had to convince to join the rebuilding effort. For a second he regretted not taking Cole along with him, maybe the stranded would respond better knowing a thrashball superstar was on the winning team. Then again Cole wasn't exactly comfortable with long rides in a Raven. With Anya and a few other former lieutenants with him Marcus made the trip to the stranded camp. The King Raven they were flying in was retrofitted to run on hydrocarbon fuel which was running out on Azura, so every trip had to be a success. The scientists in the secret research facility had come up with a multitude of ways to power homes and grow crops in a post-locust world; Azura used a combination of solar and hydro-electric power for energy. Unfortunately transport was going to be an issue they would have to remedy themselves. Marcus resented Prescott for kidnapping his father but had to give him props for gathering all those smart minds to save humanity. Pity they were all dead now.

Intel showed that there had been increased activity in the area; perhaps the stranded noticed that the locust weren't showing up as much anymore and began to come out of hiding. Hoffman's orders were simple: get the stranded leaders to sign a pledge to send workers to rebuild the few salvageable Seran cities in exchange for guaranteed food and shelter. Now that humanity was no longer on the verge of being slaughtered into extinction, the revolving door of gears dying and artificially inseminated women giving birth had been closed. Of course children still had to be born, seeing as how 90% of Sera's humans had been killed, but the unethical birthing programs were a thing of the past. Any stranded with children, or who would willingly conceive, would receive perks, more rations and better accomodation as a reward for helping out. All of the details regarding the pledge were written out for the stranded to read and sign. The papers had no COG insignia or anything pertaining to the Coalition, they were simply written out to the various leaders from the office of Col. Victor Hoffman, Head of the S.R.E. (Seran Rebuilding Effort)

The camp itself was located in a valley just off the coast. The sunrise reflected against the green hills which were hiding a less than pretty sight. Built on the remains of a small town, the camp showed visible signs of battle. The KR pilot was granted clearance to land within the camp but in the back of their minds the crew knew they might be stepping into a trap. Tension ran high amongst the gears as they disembarked the vehicle; Delta had already fought stranded during their insurgency and knew exactly what they were capable of. Despite the fact that Fenix came on a diplomatic mission and wasn't working in the interest of the COG the stranded had every reason to be suspicious. Most people knew who Hoffman was and the COG insignia on the uniforms and Raven brought up some bad memories for the stranded. A scruffy looking man met up with Fenix near the landing zone.

"Well if it ain't the goddamn _cocks_ coming to pay us a lil' visit. What's Prescott got on his mind now?" the older man said.

Marcus wasn't sure where to start, the wrong words could get him and his crew shot.

"Why aren't you wearing your stupid armor COG?" the man said after a brief moment of silence.

"No longer needed friend, we're here to talk to you about that." Marcus replied.

"What are you saying?" the man asked.

"The locust has been defeated, for real this time, and the remaining humans are working out of Anvil Gate to rebuild." Anya butted in.

The whole camp burst out in laughter. In the commotion a young man with raven hair approached the soldiers and put his hand up, instantly silencing the laughter. Marcus deduced this man must have been in charge here.

"Please Mr...Fenix" said the man as he examined Marcus' nametag on his uniform. "Follow me to my HQ, if you are actually speaking the truth, we have much to discuss."

Inside the private quarters Fenix had a long discussion with the man, who revealed himself to be Warren Oscar, leader several stranded camps in the valley. Warren had been at war with another warlord for some time and had grown tired of the violence. He agreed to join this new coalition only because it would provide more security for his people. This was the mindset many of the stranded adopted as they joined the rebuilding effort. Over time more and more of the stranded joined up and within two years over a million of them had gone to work reconstructing Sera.

* * *

><p>Baird woke up with a nasty migraine that morning. He had spent most of the previous night trying to unlock some stupid terminal and then had to take care of a drunk. For a moment he wondered if Sam felt better today and considered paying her a visit but was quickly brought out of his reverie by his tac-com. Marcus was on the line and wanted to see him after breakfast.<p>

"What's up Fenix" Baird said as he entered the repurposed command center.

"Take a seat Baird" Marcus said with his distinct frown.

Anya joined the duo as Baird sat down. He knew something was on Marcus' mind and he knew he wasn't going to like it.

"Baird as you know we've made some good inroads with the stranded recently" Marcus pointed out.

"So I've heard, guess the lazy bums aren't completely useless..." Baird responded.

"Shut up and let me talk" Marcus said before a long sigh. "Many of the stranded have been responding very well to our proposals but some others needed a little extra persuasion. We haven't had to turn to threats or violence yet, but one particular group has been openly hostile to us. Recently they have attacked a delegation Hoffman sent from Anvegad."

Baird was about to speak but Marcus put up a finger, stopping him in his tracks.

"Before you ask, no, we will not _openly_ attack them. Doing so will seriously damage our reputation going forward. We have made too much progress to just have this whole thing fall apart now." Marcus continued on.

"Secret ops?..." Baird asked with a knowing smirk on his face.

"Like a fucking mind reader..." Anya said with a slight chuckle.

"It's simply a matter of disbanding them by taking out their leader; problem is we have no idea who that might be, or if they even have one." Marcus said.

"So what do you need Fenix? I already told you cloaking armor wasn't possible." Baird told the sergeant.

"No Blondie, I called you here because you've been selected to infiltrate the camp...alone." Marcus said with a serious look on his face.

"What?"

"All you need to do is figure out who's in charge down there and kill him. We assume this will cause chaos within the group and allow us to assault the camp under cover of night." Anya explained.

"You _assume_?" Baird asked, leaning into the word.

"They'll probably think another group of stranded attacked them" Anya continued.

"I'm hearing a lot of uncertainty in your plan guys" Baird pointed out.

"Hoffman has been working on this for some time; he's former commando so I'll trust his plans are sane." Marcus said.

"Then why doesn't he just infiltrate the camp himself?"

"You're kidding right? Why not also send Cole while we're at it?" Anya said with a derisive look on her face.

Baird took a moment to absorb all of this information. He was no assassin, nor was he exactly the quietest guy around. What exactly were they thinking in selecting him?

"Well it's just like them to send the most important guy on this island to his death" Baird said in a defeated tone.

"Don't you think you're over estimating your importance Baird?" Marcus said with a cocky smile.

"Oh okay Fenix; I'd like to see you fix a destroyed T55-GX Quattro-ion powered generator." Baird taunted the sergeant.

"I'm sure one of the Gorasni engineers could do it" Marcus responded.

"Those stupid fucks couldn't fix a flat tire" Baird growled.

"Well it wasn't my decision, you were picked at random" Marcus said.

"At _random_? Ah okay I wasn't aware you guys just picked names out of a hat!" Baird responded, obviously annoyed.

"It wasn't a hat..." Marcus said under his breath.

"Anya, you attended military academy right, how many classes did you take on picking names at random?" Baird asked the female gear.

"Fuck off Baird" She responded with an angry tone.

"You know Marcus; there was a time when lieutenants were made on the battlefield and not in the classroom" Baird pressed on.

"I said fuck off Baird" Anya repeated.

"All I'm saying is...If that's how our military leaders made all of their decisions, it's no wonder we were at war for 79 years." Baird pointed out.

Anya was about to jump over the desk and strangle the Blonde.

"Enough!" Marcus yelled as he got up from his seat. "Damnit Baird you know what your mission is; don't be a dick and you'll go unnoticed in the camp. Now stop bitching about it and meet me here tonight for the mission details." Marcus went on as he slammed his fist into the desk. "Any other questions Baird?"

"Yeah, were do I go for my dysentery shots?"


	5. Chapter 5

_I apologize for the delay in posting and I apologize for the short chapter. This is actually only half of the chapter but stuff came up and I wanted to get this out. Compromises were made but I promise more will come sooner than later. As always, reviews are more appreciated than you know, so feel free to give feedback, negative or positive it's ALL good. Enjoy._

**Chapter 5:**

AZURA SHORE, MINUTES AFTER LOCUST DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF DELTA SQUAD.

It had finally happened; the sixteen year struggle for survival was over. For most of the gears on that beach it all felt like a dream. They had seen their enemy burned by satellite lasers, vaporised by massive bombs and drowned by deadly floods but each time it came back more vicious than before. There was still a fragment of doubt that the locusts were really all dead, but Delta had seen the result of Adam Fenix's weapon with their own eyes. Marcus had had killed the Queen with his own hands and was confident enough to throw his lancer on the ground in a final act of victory, as bittersweet as it may be.

As Baird looked at the embracing couple on the beach, he wondered about how many of Sera's creatures- throughout its entire history- had faced extinction. Why were humans the only ones to oppose this natural cycle? What made them believe they were stronger than the powers that governed the universe? Baird thought about the people around him; for once he cared about someone other than himself and it felt unnatural. He reflected on how many people his fellow gears had lost to the insanity. For a moment he felt relieved to have acted like an anti-social dick for so long, this had spared him the crippling pain of losing someone he cared about. Yes, he had lost his parents, but that felt like forever ago and the lack of happy childhood memories numbed the pain just a bit. What surprised Baird the most was how the death of Dominic Santiago had affected him. He wasn't particularly close to the man but losing him felt like losing a brother. He then imagined how painful it would be to have lost his one and only true friend, Augustus. He glanced at the man standing next to him- also leaning on the balcony- who glanced back at Baird. As their eyes met Cole gave him a knowing smile, as if to tell him that everything would be okay from now on. Reassured by his friend, Baird decided he was going to build himself a real future from now on.

Baird was brought out of his thoughts by a hand grabbing his. The female soldier standing to his right had lazily grasped his bigger, rougher hand with hers. He was sure he had already felt Sam's touch before but he only now realised how small and fragile her hand was. It was hard to believe such delicate hands could snap a locust drone's neck with ease. For what seemed like an eternity Sam looked into the sunset and said nothing, she just stood there, gently rubbing the inside of Baird's palm with her thumb. Baird remembered what he had told her just before the final assault on Azura but didn't know if she had paid much attention to it. He wasn't sure what brought on his sudden display of care at the time. Perhaps in the back of his mind he feared he would never see Samantha again, and felt the need to tell the woman he cared about her. It was completely out of character for him, but it happened and he wasn't about to take back his words.

"Did you ever think this day would come?" Sam suddenly piped up, still looking into the sunset.

It took Baird a moment to answer. This wasn't a new question for him, but recent events made him reflect on it with more significance.

"Not...not in my lifetime" He finally responded.

And so they stood there for a while until Cole spoke up. His contagious Cole Train persona surfaced all of a sudden.

"Yeeeah! Wooo we did it baby! We finally got the son' bitches!" Cole yelled out, pumping his fist in the air. "Time to fucking party! This place gotta have some fancy booze, let's do it up, we earned this shit!"

All of the gears on that beachfront erupted in cheer; as they started making their way inside Cole grabbed Sam and Baird by the shoulders and pushed them into the group. He then looked behind him and saw Marcus and Anya still on the beach. He decided not to interrupt.

* * *

><p>Baird sat alone at the table in the mess hall, quietly staring at his now empty plate. The usually busy cafeteria had become less and less populated as time passed. Many of the gears had left for the mainland, either by a yearning to help rebuild elsewhere or from knowing that soon enough Azura's fuel supplies were going to run out and leave them stuck on the island. There was still no viable means of transport besides retrofitting imulsion powered vehicles to run on petrol. Baird would sometimes spend sleepless nights searching for a solution to their little problem. This made the decision of sending him to kill some random stranded even more bewildering; there was so much to take care of right here at home, as temporary a home as it may be, before going on some inane quest abroad. He had gone along with Marcus' and Hoffman's crazy plans before but for the first time he thought that maybe the lack of immediate danger had rendered them incapable of making rational decisions.<p>

Marcus had explained the plan to him; of course everything was to be kept under wraps. Again Marcus had not told him the reason behind the secrecy but at some point Baird just stopped questioning every little aspect of the mission.

"Yo Baird." He turned at the mention of his name and saw Clayton approach with a tray full of food. The soldier had just come back from his patrol. Of all the gears in Delta, besides Cole and Sam, Baird liked Carmine the most because he always kept out of people's business; a trait which was lost in most people these days.

"What's up with that technician of yours...Stan is his name right? Is he leaving with the rest of his people?" Clay said as he took a seat besides the corporal.

Baird hadn't heard about anything of the sorts. The Gorasni kept mostly to themselves but news of them leaving would have made even an uncaring Baird notice.

"What are you talking about?" Baird asked the younger man. "Where the hell would they go?"

"Damned if I know, but without that tech of yours you'd have to train one of us to work the night shift down there." The elder Carmine said casually.

Baird shuddered at the thought of one of these enlisted idiots putting their grubby mitts all over the sensitive equipment in the control room.

"But whatever..." Carmine searched for words. "What's up with Sam? You made a move yet?"

_Never mind, Carmine was a nosy asshole too._

"Enjoy your meal, Carmine" Baird tapped his shoulder as he got up to leave.

Baird wondered if the rest of his squad had been briefed on their role in the little suicide mission Command had orchestrated. It all sounded very simple; infiltrate the camp, kill the leader then wait for Delta to come save your ass. Maybe they would have the presence of mind to recover his dead body from the camp when they finally stormed it.

_Or maybe not. I am so screwed.  
><em>


	6. Chapter 6

_Hello readers, I'm sorry for the delay but here is chapter 6. I know it is short but this used to be the rest of chapter 5. Unfortunately problems arose and I had to adjust. I am extremely thankful for all the reviews, they help more than you know. Really they are extemely appreciated. This chapter takes advantage of the M rating I accidently gave this story, so if you're offended by sexual situations beware. (It's really not that bad compared to some of the other fics on here, my erotic writing skills are terrible at best...). Enjoy and review if you can._

_**Side note: Baird isn't a complete asshole like some people make him out to be. Dude still has feelings and compassion, he just doesn't show it that much. At least that's what I took from the games and book(s). Maybe I'm wrong though...**  
><em>

**Chapter 6:**

The mission to the stranded camp was to commence tomorrow; Marcus gave Baird a few days to prepare and the corporal took the opportunity to sharpen his skills at the gun range. He spent the rest of his time thinking about how to approach the situation. Was he to just run up to their head honcho and shoot him in the face? Snipe him from a distance? The final details on the operation would be past down to him tomorrow morning and Baird dreaded the moment.

As he sat on his bed packing the few supplies he needed his thoughts kept coming to private Byrne. He imagined her there, standing in front of him, body naked and burning, burning for him, waiting for him, waiting for his next move. He had already been close to her, very close, but that didn't stop him from fantasising. Like his many fantasies, his erotic encounters with her were nothing more than releasing tension. A kiss there, a dry hump there, all of it was amazing but it meant nothing the next morning. The night she stumbled into his workspace- drunk and teasing- and he refrained from fucking her was the night he realised he wanted her for more than just her body.

As if on cue, Sam rapped at his door and made her way in. Baird kicked his equipment under his bead and stood up to meet her in the hallway of his suite. He wondered if she knew of the mission, or if she was going to participate but he wasn't going to bring it up, mainly because Marcus had made it clear not to tell anyone about any of it. The sergeant made his serious 'I'll kill you' face when he told him not to speak about the mission and Baird knew what that meant.

"Hey Byrne, here for a peep show again?" Baird asked with a smirk.

"Don't act like you hate it you little perv." Sam replied with a grin. Baird guessed she was here to fool around again, a perfect gift for his last day alive. "You can call me Sam you know."

"Oh I'm sure I'll be calling your name out woman." Baird uttered.

Sam hit his face with an anaemic smack that turned into a gentle rub of his cheeks. She gave him a coquettish look as he grabbed her hand and pulled her whole body towards him. They had done this before, but the female gear noticed something was bothering the man. Baird also noticed something was up, with her, but he refrained from bringing it up. Suddenly Sam pushed away from the mechanic and left him with a baffled look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Baird asked.

"Nothing, just wondering if everything was alright." She said.

"Yeah, it's always roses and honey and all that shit around here." Baird responded.

Samantha gave him a curious look but decided that maybe nothing was wrong after all, seeing as Baird was his usual asshole self.

They made their way into the master bedroom; the air was hot and heavy. They opened a window and let a cool ocean breeze hit them but they keep burning. Sam removed her bandana and wiped the drips on her neck, as if she had stood in a cool rain just seconds ago. She threw the soaked bandana at Baird and the man took a big whiff of the material.

"You're a nasty motherfucker aren't ya?" She said deviously.

Baird grinned at her as he sat on the bed, back against the headboard, and took off his shirt. She stood at the bottom of the bed, a surge of juices building between her legs. He gave her a knowing look, calling her into his arms. She hopped on the bed on and approached him like a wild animal hunting its prey. As she got close their lips locked and Sam gave a low moan, indicating her arousal. As Baird pulled off her shirt, feeling the smoothness of her skin, she began to burn and breathe faster.

The last of the sunlight had faded and the twilight cast deep shadows across the room. She was silently giggling, pressing her hips against him as she straddled him. His hands seemed to be everywhere, and she longed for his tongue as they explored each other's mouths. Suddenly she felt his hand reach into her pants and slip a finger into her, sharing in her wetness. Sam shivered, feeling the heat filter through her whole body. He worked her with his fingers as if he was fixing a broken machine; an uneven moan escaped her lips as her head fell back. Baird took the opportunity to kiss her exposed neck before making his way south. As a warm mouth suckled on her breast she began to really lose it.

If there was one thing Baird was good at- besides being a jerk- it's foreplay. Maybe this was the reason she kept coming back for more. She remembered her first night with him; the awkwardness, the alcohol, the way Baird had made her feel better then she'd felt in a long time, the way he made her forget about Santiago. She wanted to write off the experience as nothing more than a great one night stand, but then it happened again, and again, and again. They were together, in bed, and each time felt amazing. The way he worked her every time, with the stamina and enthusiasm of a man who hadn't fucked in years, felt unbelievable.

She was transported from her thoughts by the realization that they were both naked. His manhood erect and ready to please her. She grabbed his penis and began to rub her clit with it, teasing the poor man. Her playfulness betrayed the fact that she wanted him inside her as much as he wanted to be in her. She positioned herself but hesitated for a slight moment, this was the opportunity Baird needed. Suddenly she felt a thrust, followed by another and then a tempo started. Her natural wetness helped her adjust to the violation, and soon both lovers were in a steady rhythm. Baird's joyful expression was not unlike a small child as he looked at her breasts bounce up and down as she rode him. These moments were the ones she loved most, when Baird's true emotions showed. Sam released an involuntary moan as the sensation of Baird's dick pushing in and out of her blossomed. Her legs began to shiver and her back bowed; after a few seconds she could no longer hold it. Her orgasm overpowered her senses and she screamed from it. The ecstasy flowed through her body and she just let the waves of bliss consume her. Her body went limp for a second as she almost collapsed on top of the corporal. She gathered herself and had only one thing on her mind: _more_.

* * *

><p>Baird lay in bed, looking at the beautiful woman besides him. She made him feel so good and he wanted her all to himself, but he knew this wasn't going to happen. Sam was a strong, independent woman, and the last thing she would want is to be tied down to a man. Still Baird wanted to ask, ask if their wild nights meant anything. The need for validation is a basic human instinct and he was not immune to such things. The words he wanted to say kept dying in his throat as she looked back at him with her infectious smile.<p>

Sam lay in bed, staring at the rugged man besides her. He made her feel better than any man before, but emotionally he gave her almost nothing. Not that he was fundamentally opposed to the idea but she simply never brought it up. Still Sam wanted to ask him, ask if he wanted her for more than just her body. She was emotionally rebuffed once already by another man and was afraid of Baird's answer. She wanted to simply blurt out the words "I love you" but the courage escaped her as he looked at her with his cocky smirk.

The silence was almost deafening.


End file.
